Juventus have been handed a 10-point deduction in a new ruling by an Italian court investigating the club’s transfer deals.
Before the new decision, Juventus was in second place behind Serie A champions Napoli with 69 points, but fell to seventh place as a result, five points off a Champions League spot.
The decision was announced in the moments of Monday night’s game at the Empoli club started. Victory would move them back to within two points of the top four with two Serie A games remaining.
During a three-hour hearing on Monday, federation prosecutor Giuseppe Chine asked for an 11-point penalty for Juventus. He asked for nine in January.
Chine also requested an eight-month ban for seven former Juventus directors, including Pavel Nedved, but all were dismissed by the Federal Court of Appeals. The former Juve winger and the rest of the club’s board resigned in November amid the allegations.
Fabio Paratici, who resigned from his position as Tottenham’s director of football earlier this year due to a worldwide football ban linked to the scandal, has not yet been cleared. Former chairman Agnelli and two others had appeals against their charges dismissed last month.
An official decision reads: “The Federal Court of Appeals acquits Pavel Nedved, Paolo Garimberti, Assia Grazioli Venier, Caitlin Mary Hughes, Daniela Marilungo, Francesco Roncaglio, and Enrico Vellano of the alleged offenses and imposes 10 -point deduction of Juventus in the standings, applicable for the current season.”
In January, Juventus was stripped of 15 points in Serie A due to alleged financial irregularities and faulty accounting, but this was later overturned.
Juventus said in a statement: “Juventus Football Club is aware of what was decided by the FIGC Court of Appeal and has the right to read the reasons to examine a possible appeal to the Guarantee Board of CONI.
“The establishment of the fifth time to judge this matter, which began more than a year ago, has aroused great bitterness in the club and the millions of supporters who, without clear rules, find themselves heavily penalized by the application of sanctions that seem to take into account the principle of proportionality.
“Even if the need for urgency is not ignored, which Juventus has never shied away from during the proceedings, it is emphasized that these are facts that still need to be examined by a judge.”
